HP Releases List of Supply Chain Smelters to Encourage Suppliers to become Conflict-Free

HP has published a list of 195 smelters that have been identified within its supply chain in an effort to have their smelters independently reviewed and certified as conflict-free smelters (CFS). It is the first major IT manufacturer to publish its smelter list publicly and encourages the entire industry to move to use of CFS-certified smelters and refiners. For more than a decade the mining of materials used to produce tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been linked to the funding of armed groups waging civil war there. These metals are widely used in many industries including IT. More

HP Announces New OpenStack Offerings

HP has extended its commitment to OpenStack with the announcement of new and enhanced HP Converged Cloud offerings that enable enterprises to increase agility, speed innovation, and decrease costs. HP is integrating OpenStack technology to deliver enterprise-grade offerings across its private, public, and hybrid cloud portfolio. More

HP Announces New Printing Products, Recycling Options

HP has announced new products and expanded offerings to enable printing customers to reduce their environmental impact while benefitting from the quality and reliability of HP printing supplies. The new products include a line of sustainably sourced papers and the addition of Office Depot as HP’s newest retail recycling ally. More

Canonical, VMware Collaborate to Enable OpenStack Clouds with VMware Technologies

Canonical and VMware Inc. have announced a partnership to enable organizations to deploy VMware technologies, including VMware vSphere and Nicira NVP, with Canonical’s OpenStack distribution. Canonical’s Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure will now include plugins to support OpenStack with vSphere and NVP. Canonical will provide commercial support for OpenStack and collaborate with VMware on issues related to vSphere or NVP running with vSphere. More

Violin Flash Memory Arrays Certified with SAP Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise

SAP has certified the Violin 6000 Series Flash Memory Arrays from Violin Memory Inc. for interoperability with SAP Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (SAP Sybase ASE), delivering reliable, accelerated performance across a range of enterprise applications. Used together these systems will provide customers with enhanced & simplified solutions that combine the microsecond speeds of flash storage with business-critical SAP applications. Violin Memory is also now an SAP software solution and technology partner in the SAP PartnerEdge program. More

E&Y Finds Financial Managers Spending on Technology to Improve Customer Experience

Financial managers will focus on leveraging technology to enhance the experience of both clients and advisors over the next two-to-five years, according to Ernst & Young LLP’s Enhancing the advisor and customer experience through technology: 2012 Amercas wealth management study  released today. While all financial management companies already dedicate a significant portion of their budgets to client services, the survey finds that less than one-third believe their client-related technology is effective. They are now focusing on designing segment-specific servicing models that provide different levels of high-quality service. More

PwC Named Leader in Four IDC MarketScape Reports for Business Consulting Services

PwC US has been selected as a “Leader” in four IDC MarketScape reports on Business Consulting Services, covering Worldwide, Americas, EMEA, and Asia/Pacific. “We believe this recognition underscores the breadth and consistency of our Advisory services capabilities in the U.S. and around the world,” said Dana Mcilwain, PwC Vice Chairman and U.S. Advisory Leader. More

PwC 1Q Manufacturing Barometer Reveals Prevailing Optimism Among U.S. Manufacturers

U.S. industrial manufacturers remain positive regarding the outlook for the U.S. economy for the year ahead, while they remain guarded about the world economy, according to PwC’s Q1 2013 Manufacturing Barometer. Fifty-five percent of respondents expressed optimism about the 12-month outlook for the U.S. economy during 1Q13, up seven points from 4Q12. Only 5 percent were pessimistic. More

Financial Services Talent Models Unsustainable Says PwC

PwC research has found that financial services CEOs see talent shortages as their biggest threat to growth. The report, Seizing back the people agenda, also suggests that current models for people management are unsustainable in the face of new market realities and that rebuilding trust and re-engagement with employees & customers is needed. More

Shoppers’ Belts Tight Despite Economic Improvement Says Deloitte

Deloitte’s 2013 American Pantry Study shows that 94 percent of Americans are keeping their spending on food, beverage, and household goods low despite economic improvement. Ninety-two percent of survey respondents indicate they have become more resourceful, and 86 percent say they are getting more precise in what they buy, attitudes that have remained consistent in the three years Deloitte has conducted the study and across income levels. More